


The World Ends With You

by Chibifukurou



Category: Watchmen - All Media Types
Genre: Apocalypse, M/M, Wordcount: 10.000-30.000
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-04-23
Updated: 2011-04-23
Packaged: 2017-10-18 14:06:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,128
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/189660
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Chibifukurou/pseuds/Chibifukurou
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <div class="center">
  <p>Nothing beside remains. Round the decay<br/>Of that colossal wreck, boundless and bare<br/>The lone and level snow stretches far away.</p>
  <p>It's five years later and the world peace<br/>is falling apart. It's Eleven minutes to<br/>Midnight again, and this time Adrian won't<br/>be able to give the world a reprieve.</p>
  <div class="center"></div>
</div>
            </blockquote>





	1. Five Years to Midnight

**Author's Note:**

> A big thank you to my beta csad, who worked with me for over a month to polish this story.
> 
> And my artist Nyargles for taking my story on.
> 
> Disclaimer: I don't own anything. This story was written for personal enjoyment and entertainment purposes.

Broken glass and gravel scrunched beneath Dan's boots. Laurie was turning in slow circles, her eyes glued to the bodies that hung out of the skyscrapers and blanketed the streets. The taste of dust, electrical discharge, and despair was thick on his tongue.

"How could he do this?" Laurie bent over to look at something laying sprawled across the sidewalk. He followed her gaze and saw a little girl safely tucked under her mother's dead body. There was a doll clutched in the girl's slack arms. It's large, glassy eyes stared out at him, judging.

He shuddered and turned away to study a lamp-post that had broken in two. Wires and metal jutted upwards towards the stormy sky. He couldn't stop himself from running a gloved finger over the wires, electricity sending a wave of not quite pain through his arm. "He did what he thought was right."

She spun on her heel to glare at him. "How can you say that? This isn't right."

"I didn't say it was right, but it was for the greater good." He knew it wasn't right, but they couldn't change it now. They couldn't bring these people back from the dead. There wasn't any point in harping on it.

"The greater good!" Laurie snorted. It was evident that she held nothing but contempt for the concept of 'the greater good.

Dan couldn't say he blamed her, not when the greater good had led to the creation of this dying city, stacked with rotting bodies.  
Unfortunately, they couldn't act on their contempt."What do you want me to say, Laurie? We agreed to keep Adrian's secret. We agreed to this. It is not right. It isn't good. But we don't have a choice now."

"We have a choice." She marched over him and started poking him in the chest with her finger. "We could turn Adrian in."

He grabbed her by the arm and dragged her towards the center of the city. Bodies were everywhere, but he did his best to avoid looking at them. He couldn't think about them now. He kept dragging her until they were facing the monstrous alien Adrian had created.

Its gaping beak dripped with ooze, wrinkled blue skin pooled around its body in a gelatinous puddle, scaly greenish tentacles as large as buildings wrapped in and around bodies and debris. It was monstrous.

She jerked away from him and fell to her knees. The sound of retching echoed hollowly off the building.

Dan waited until she was finished. Then he pointed at the monster, forcing her to look at it again. "There are dozens of these creatures scattered across the world spreading their psychic residue of fear and despair. Millions, maybe even billions of people are dead."

"Stop talking!"

He ignored her and went on. "What choice do you think we should make? Do you think we should tell everyone what Adrian did and maybe bring about the nuclear apocalypse? Do you really think that would be better?"

She curled into herself. "I– I don't—"

"We don't know what's going to happen so we're just going to have to have to muddle through things and hope that these people weren't sacrificed for nothing. Because we don't have another choice unless you want to risk making things worse." Dan turned away from the monster, heading back towards the edge of the blast radius and what was left of his Brownstone. He needed to get some stuff together before he and Laurie could start their new life.


	2. Eleven Minutes to Midnight

Dan woke to the feeling of Adrian's fingertips skimming lightly over his back. Moaning, he burrowed further under the covers. Adrian pealed the blankets away, kissing each of the scars that dotted his back. Until he finally gave up feigning sleep and rolled over. "You want me to make breakfast, don't you?"

"I wouldn't dream of it." Adrian held his hands up in surrender. "I just wanted you to see me off to work."

Dan glared at him. "Fine, I'll get up, but you better make something good."

"Pancakes and coffee?"

"There better be bacon too," he retorted, trying to sound like he wasn't so cheap that he'd get out of bed for pancakes alone.

"There will be," Adrian promised.

"Then you better go get started. You don't want to be late for work."

"I won't be late for work. Breakfast should be ready in fifteen minutes, and I don't need to be at the Russian embassy for another hour."

"Then why did you wake me up?" Adrian knew how much he hated mornings.

"I wanted your company for breakfast. Besides, I enjoy it when you watch me cook."

"I prefer to sleep," Dan grumbled, pulling the blankets over his head. It was rude, but he didn't much care. It was way too early for this.

Adrian pushed himself up to sit on the edge of the bed. "If I don't see you in the kitchen in the next five minutes, I'm not making you any bacon."

"Yeah, yeah," was Dan's muffled reply.

* * * * * * * * *

The collar of Adrian's trench coat twisted between Dan's fingers. He used his grip to pull Adrian's head further down so that he could deepen their kiss.

Adrian returned the favor by grabbing Dan's hips. The purple velour of Dan's borrowed robe crinkled under his fingers, and Dan felt the pinch of rising bruises. A shiver of pleasure went through him. He loved Adrian's strength and knowing that Adrian could hold him down and have his way with him. It made him want to drag Adrian back to bed.

Adrian pulled away, his thin lips kiss-bruised and his hair mussed. He smiled at Dan, affectionate and prideful. "I'm going to be late for work if we continue."

"Maybe that's my intention." It would serve Adrian right.

"Feeling vengeful, are we?"

"Maybe." Dan tried to pull him back into a kiss, but Adrian didn't let him.

"Well, I'm sorry, but your revenge is going to have to wait. I have to get to my meeting at the embassy."

"Fine," Dan sighed. "But I'll make you pay when you get back."

"I'm sure you will." Adrian pressed a chaste kiss to his lips before he lifted Dan out of his way and slipped out of the penthouse.

"Overly confident bastard," Dan grumbled to himself.

He headed into the kitchen. While he was grateful to Adrian for making breakfast, he could have done without the mess. There were two different batter- and oil-spattered frying pans on the stove, and a half-dozen measuring cups and spoons scattered around the counter in piles of flour, milk, and melted butter. The only thing Adrian hadn't managed to make a complete mess of was the coffee maker.

Dan promised himself that he'd have another cup after he'd cleaned up.

* * * * * * * * *

Dan was down to the last dredges of his coffee when the phone rang.

He glared in its general direction before curling further into his couch. Anybody who knew him knew not to call him before at least ten. The telemarketers could just go screw themselves.

Dan gave up his plan to ignore the phone when it started ringing for the third time in ten minutes.

He forced himself off the couch and stomped into the kitchen; stupid phone and stupid freezing cold tiles. The phone had stopped ringing by the time he reached it, but he wasn't worried. Whoever kept calling him would call back, and he could yell at them then.

The phone started ringing again. He grabbed it and shouted, "What!"

"Dan, it is good to hear from you," Laurie replied.

Dan bit back a curse. Why was Laurie calling? They'd broken up three years before and hadn't talked since.

Laurie continued, as if they were the best of friends. "It has been a while. I was just wondering if you'd like to grab a coffee with me?"

"I'm busy, Laurie. Perhaps another time?" Like when hell froze over.

"Don't be silly. I came all the way from California to see you. The least you can do is spare me a few hours of your time."

"I'd really rather not. It would be a bad idea anyway, your being around a confirmed Mask," he said, half hoping she'd admit that she'd turned him in.

"That's not a problem anymore. So there isn't any reason for you to stay holed up in Adrian's apartment."

Not a problem. What did that mean? "Aren't you worried about being discovered as a Mask? Being seen with me won't help attempts to remain anonymous."

"I'm sure a quick visit and a cup of coffee won't make that much of a difference. And I have something that I need to speak to you about."

"What is it?"

"You'll have to meet with me if you want to find out."

"I don't know. Is it all right if I call Adrian first? I'm not sure how he'd react to my seeing you behind his back. You are my ex, after all."

"It's just one cup of coffee. What's he going to do, ream you out because you went for a coffee with me?" Her tone was light, but Dan knew her well enough to hear the steel underneath. She wasn't going to take no for an answer.

"I'll call him, then I'll call you back. Can you tell me what number to call you on?" Dan asked, trying one last time to dissuade her.

"Don't worry about it. I'll just come to the penthouse," she said brightly before hanging up the phone.

Dan was horrified. It was bad enough having Laurie in New York instead of California, but he didn't want her to just 'pop over' for a visit. They'd been avoiding each other for three years and he'd preferred it that way. Particularly since he'd long suspected her of turning him in as a Mask.

He reached out to dial Adrian's number, then stopped. As much as he was dreading this meeting, having Adrian show up at the coffee shop would only make it worse. He'd tell Adrian about the meeting once he had some idea what Laurie was up to.

Now he needed to get dressed before Laurie showed up on his doorstep and saw him in nothing but Adrian's robe.

* * * * * * * * *

They walked down the sidewalk, careful to avoid touching each other. In the crush of the morning commuters, they might as well have been strangers. Even their outfits clashed. His argyle sweater vest and brown dress pants, and her fashionably cut hot pink and lime green dress.

It reminded Dan eerily of the first date, when they'd been little more than strangers with the connection of being Masks, once upon a time. Now their relationship was far less tenuous and far more fraught with emotions. It wasn't an improvement.

Laurie turned into a little bistro coffee shop a few blocks down from the penthouse. He hurried to follow, and reached the shop's counter just in time to hear her order a coffee, black with two sugars, and an earl gray tea. Then she turned to him. "I'll get us a table while you wait for our drinks."

"Uh— Oh, right." Dan nodded stupidly before going to stand next to the coffee maker. He ignored the barista's amused smirk and gathered their mugs. The little bistro table Laurie was sitting at was near the back of the shop. It was just a few feet from the bathrooms. She obviously didn't want to be overheard. He would have preferred to have witnesses in case things got ugly, but he didn't have much choice now. She wouldn't talk to him if he tried to sit somewhere else.

When he sat down, she gave him a toothy smile like she knew what he was thinking. He wouldn't be surprised if she did. "Why did you call me, Laurie?"

"There is something we need to discuss, and I thought it would be better if we kept it private."

"Private from who?"

"Adrian. I'd prefer if he didn't know about this meeting."

He should have known. "He's my lover, and I'm not going to lie to him. Or spy on him if that's what you want to discuss."

Laurie's jaw tightened. "I'm not asking you to lie. All I'm asking you to do is forget to mention this meeting."

"Why don't you tell me what you want me to 'forget'. Then I'll decide if I'm willing to keep it a secret."

"Very well. I've been discussing what happened five years ago with some people, and we think that it is time Adrian paid for his crimes."

Dan quickly looked around to make sure nobody was listening. What was Laurie thinking, broaching this in public? "Are you crazy? You can't just talk to a few people about it. We agreed to keep the fact that Adrian released the aliens on Earth a secret."

"I agreed to that when I thought his plan was going to save the world. But now we're right back where we started."

"That's not Adrian's fault. You can't blame him for having faith in humanity." Dan shared his faith. It was a big part of why he'd become a Mask in the first place.

"But I can blame him for all the people he killed, and it is time to make sure that the proper steps are taken so that Adrian pays for his crimes."

"And what about our crimes, are you going to make us pay too?"

"I'm redeeming myself by making sure that Adrian pays for his crimes. I'm offering you the same opportunity."

"So you are still blaming everybody else for your problems. We're just as guilty of letting those people die as Adrian is. You should accept that and move on."

She slammed her hand down on the table. The cups rattled. "How can you say that? We tried to stop him!"

"And failed. Then, instead of accepting that failure, we lied about it. The only one of us who was willing to take responsibility was Rorschach."

"Still defending Saint Rorschach?"

Well, the animosity between Laurie and Rorschach certainly hadn't waned, despite Rorschach's death. "I didn't say he was a saint, but unlike us he wasn't willing to sacrifice those people's memories for the world's safety."

"Rorschach's character isn't in question. Adrian's is. He said that he was going to save the world, but we're right back where we started. At eleven minutes to midnight. Now it is time for somebody else to step up and take responsibility."

Dan stifled a scoff. "Who would that be? You? Me? One of those politicians who think all Masks should be killed? Face it, we're screwed, and for better or worse, Adrian is our best hope of finding a way to save the world."

"He had his chance, and there are plenty of people ready and willing to save the world."

"The why haven't they? Or is punishing Adrian part of their plan?"

"I can't explain that unless you agree to help me."

"Then I guess there isn't any point in staying." He stood up and dropped a few dollars on the table. "Grow up, Laurie. Learn to take responsibility for your actions. You turned me in as a Mask. If I'm not loyal to you and whoever is pulling your strings, that's your problem, not mine."

He waited just long enough to see her flush guiltily before storming out of the coffee shop. He hadn't wanted the confirmation that Laurie was behind his arrest, but now that he had it, he had some thinking to do.

* * * * * * * * *

Dinner that night was simple. After leaving Laurie, Dan had spent the afternoon wandering the city, and once he was home, he hadn't felt like making anything fancy.

He doubted Adrian would care. His secretary had called and said he'd be two hours late. That had been over three hours before. When they finished eating it would be nearly ten; time for Adrian to get some sleep while Dan worked on his latest ornithological article.

It was quarter past ten when Adrian stumbled into the penthouse. His blond hair was a stringy mess, and his shoulders were stooped beneath his dripping trench coat.

Dan hurried to meet him at the door. He grabbed Adrian's briefcase and tossed it onto the couch before helping him out of his coat. "Is everything all right with the talks?"

"Nothing to worry about. Everybody is just worried about how the Russian representatives will react to our hospitality. We don't want anything to go wrong."

"I doubt they're going to declare war just because you didn't put the right kind of vodka in their hotel suite." He kept an arm wrapped around Adrian's shoulders as he guided him to the table.

Adrian settled into the chair with a sigh. "Emotions are running high, but even considering the paranoia that has overtaken the representatives, I doubt that they would declare war over something so absurd. Nobody wants to take the blame if the talks fall through."

"I'm sure it will be fine."

"Thank you for your faith."

"What kind of lover would I be if I didn't believe in you?" The question was rhetorical, so Dan didn't worry when Adrian didn't reply. He was busy rescuing the spaghetti and garlic bread from the warming drawer anyway.

"So what did you do today?" Adrian asked.

Dan fork froze halfway to his mouth. "I met with Laurie."

"What is she doing in town?"

"She didn't say."

"And you didn't ask?"

He bristled at Adrian's tone. "I was busy."

"She upset you. What did she say?"

"Nothing too important. She's still upset about our break up."

"Are you sure there isn't anything else? You're usually better at handling her resentment."

This would be the perfect opportunity for him to tell Adrian about Laurie's threats, but he didn't. He'd given her his word, and he wouldn't break it. "I asked her about turning me in as a Mask. She didn't admit anything, but she didn't deny it either."

"I'm sorry, Dan." Adrian reached out across the table to grip his hand. "I know you had hoped your suspicions were unfounded."

Dan hands shook in Adrian's grasp. "It's not a big deal. After all, I've moved on."

"Of course you have." They both ignored the doubt in Adrian's voice.

* * * * * * * * *

The door slammed open, jolting Dan awake. Groggy, he pushed himself up to look over the couch's back. He knuckled at his eyes trying to wake up further. Something wasn't right, but he didn't know what.

Adrian stood in the doorway. His clothes were immaculate and not a hair was out of place, but Dan could feel tension thrumming through him.

A twist of Adrian's wrist, almost too fast to see, and his briefcase went flying. It hit the large window that spread across the living room's east side. Cracks formed a spiderweb across the glass, and the case popped open. Papers fluttered about like oversized butterflies.

"Adrian?" Dan stood up, planning to go to him.

"Don't." Adrian held out his hand to ward Dan off.

He froze. "What's wrong? Is there something I can do?"

"I'm sorry, Dan." Adrian closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. "Today has just been – trying."

"Is that why you're back early?" Dan glanced out of the window trying to gage what time it was. "You usually wouldn't return until sometime this evening."

"I just needed to get away before I said something foolish. The United States' delegates are claiming that Russia brought the aliens down on us with their space program. And the Russians are claiming that we're conspiring with the alien horde. It is disheartening."

Disheartening was definitely too mild a word. "Are they crazy?"

"I wish it were that simple. But it's far more likely that this is just a political game of chicken."

"What?"

"The Russians are maneuvering for a better bargaining position. If they continue to claim that the US is preventing the peace talks from progressing, people will start protesting the hold up, and the US will be forced to give into their demands."

This was why Dan hated politics. "I'm sure that once you've calmed down you'll think of a way to handle it. Now come on, throwing a fit isn't helping anything." Dan wrapped his arm around Adrian's shoulders and guided him over to the couch.

He sunk into it with a soft moan. "I know, but after all I've done over the last five years, I had hoped we'd moved past the point where I was in charge of fixing everything for humanity. They were supposed to learn their lesson and move forward to create a better world. Instead, they are still mired down in petty squabbles."

"Maybe this time it will be different. Anyway, I'll make sure you are properly rewarded for your efforts." He gave Adrian a playful wink.

And got a snort in reply before Adrian pulled him down onto his lap. "Well, how can I say no to an offer like that?"

* * * * * * * * *

Adrian tugged at Dan's bow tie. "I wish you would wear the tie I picked out for you."

"I'm not going to wear a black tie, at least not a plain one, and it is not like the gray plaid is that noticeable." And he wouldn't be caught dead in the traditional black tux and black bow tie combo. It was bad enough that he'd agreed to go to this dinner. He wasn't going to play the proper political spouse, dressing properly for every occasion.

Adrian shook his head. "You do realize the invitation said this is a black tie event, don't you? You don't have to include a plaid accessory in every outfit you wear."

"I don't wear plaid all the time, sometimes I wear argyle. Besides, it's not like they're going to approve of me even if I wear a black tie. I stole the most eligible bachelor in all of New York. Every single woman in New York is still seething."

"I don't see why. It isn't like my preferences were ever a secret. Even if we hadn't gotten together, I would never have considered marrying any of them."  
"You can't fix everything. They're not about to accept the fact that I am a man and in a civil union with you. That would require them to be liberal." Dan caught Adrian's wandering hands just before they reached his waistband.

"Which is about as likely as the Russian and US representatives gathering together to sing Kumbaya."

"Exactly. Now if you don't mind, I'm going to go wait out in the living room. If you keep rubbing my chest like that we're never going to get to the party."

"I wouldn't mind, as long as we stayed in the bedroom instead," Adrian replied, pulling him back for a kiss.

"Yes, you would. You like listening to those pompous windbags making fools of themselves. I'm the one who'd rather stay home."

"I'll admit that I enjoy political dinners." Adrian held his hands up in surrender. "I just happen to like going to bed with you more."

"That makes two of us. Now hurry up and get ready; the sooner we get to the party, the sooner we can sneak out."

"That's my responsible lover," Adrian teased.

Dan just rolled his eyes. He wasn't being responsible. He just didn't want to have to go through all the trouble of dressing again.

* * * * * * * * *

Dan smiled at the valet as Adrian walked imperiously past him. There really wasn't a reason for them to have a valet, since they'd brought the limo, but he still felt bad for the boy.

The fact that he was practically cowering away from Adrian only made Dan feel worse. "You could have been a little nicer to him," he whispered into Adrian's ear.

He was busy smiling charmingly at their hosts, but he patted Dan's back in acknowledgment. Dan supposed that was all he could expect. Adrian was in full 'impress the natives' mode.

Adrian kept his hand on Dan's back as they came up to the hosts. He was a large man with a rotund stomach and a cigar clamped between his teeth. She was a slim blond, at least a decade younger than her husband.

"Dan, I would like to introduce you to Mr. and Mrs. Hollis. I have been working with Mr. Hollis for years now and he played a big part in planning the peace talks."

"It's nice to meet you," Dan murmured, ducking his head.

"I'm sure the pleasure is mine." She waved a young woman over, tall, blond, and beautiful. "Mr. Veidt, this is our daughter Natasha. I'm sure she'd be happy to escort you around while your friend mingles."

"Thank you for the kind offer, Mrs. Hollis. However, my partner will be the only company I need tonight." Adrian put extra emphasis on the word 'partner' just so there wouldn't be any confusion.

Dan was worried that they were going to end up verbally going at it when Mr. Hollis stepped in. Literally. He grabbed Adrian's shoulder with one of his large hands and Dan's with the other. "Adrian, it is so good of you to come and bring your man with you. I was worried when I didn't see you right away. It isn't like you to arrive late."

Mrs. Hollis and her daughter looked like they'd bit into a pair of lemons, but they let Adrian and Dan go without further comment.

"My apologies, I was distracted," Adrian replied with a smirk in Dan's direction.

"I'm sure you were!" Mr. Hollis gave Dan a downright lecherous look.

Dan blushed and did his best not to meet Mr. Hollis' eyes. He was going to make Adrian pay for this.

"Now, as much as I'd like to talk to you more, Adrian, I'm afraid I've got hosting duties I just cannot ignore. So why don't you and your partner head into the ballroom, and I'll talk to the two of you later?"

"I look forward to it," Adrian said, an almost real smile stretching across his face.

It made Dan feel a little better about the whole night, knowing that at least one person was rooting for his and Adrian's relationship. "Mr. Hollis seems nice."

Adrian nodded. "He's a good man. Hopefully, his approval of our partnership will keep people from throwing themselves at me."

"That would definitely be good," Dan agreed, trying not to think about how awkward things would get if somebody actually did try to pick up Adrian. He might be tempted to punch them out. "Well, we might as well get this over with."

"Indeed."

They swept into the ballroom and Dan winced as every single woman under forty started glaring daggers at him. He could already tell that this was going to be a night from hell.

* * * * * * * * *

Dan curled up on Adrian's chest. It wasn't the most comfortable position, given an elbow was digging into his ribs, but he wasn't in any hurry to move.

Adrian was drawn tight as a bow beneath him. A night full of speaking to the masses, trying to get them under control with just the power of his intellect had invigorated him. "What's got you thinking so hard?"

"Just thinking about how lucky I am to have you."

Snorting, Dan burrowed closer to Adrian. "You're being maudlin again, aren't you?"

"I am not being maudlin." Adrian sniffed at the sheer banality in that word. "You're just undervaluing your worth."

"You just don't want to admit that you could be human enough to sulk."

Adrian changed the subject. And no matter what he said, Dan knew it was because he had been sulking. "Do you know why all those women want to be with me?"

"You are handsome, rich, and the smartest man alive."

"Because they have a idealized view of me," Adrian corrected. "If they knew even a fraction of what I'd done in the past, they would be terrified."

"That's ridiculous, there's no reason to be scared of you. Everything you did was to save the world. If anybody can understand that, it's me. The only way you could have been sure that I would keep your secret was to kill me, and you didn't. That means something."

"I'm glad you know I wouldn't have enjoyed killing you."

"Can we stop talking about this, Adrian? It might not frighten me, but I don't like to think about this."

Adrian pressed a kiss to his hair. "Of course. I'm sorry for being so insensitive. I just can't help but think about what I would do if I faced with that decision again."

"Do you really think it will get that bad?" Dan propped himself up on his elbows so that he could look at Adrian.

"No," Adrian replied. "I'm just apprehensive. You know I have to plan for every eventuality,"

He nodded before lying back down, though he didn't relax again.

"You really don't need to worry, Dan. I'll do whatever it takes to avert the apocalypse."

"That's what I'm worried about." Dan froze, realizing what he'd said. "I'm sorry, Adrian, you didn't deserve that, I just—"

"You didn't upset me," Adrian interrupted hurriedly. "You have every reason to worry about what I am planning. I worry too, but we cannot do anything about it now."

Dan nodded.

Adrian pushed Dan up to sit beside him. "I need to get some sleep, and it will do you some good to have some alone time with your writing. You're far too tense."

He wanted to say that he could go to bed with Adrian now, but that was a lie. He'd end up tossing and turning. He was too hyped up to fall sleep. "Sleep well."


	3. Nine Minutes to Midnight

Dan leaned on the horn.

"You realize that honking won't do anything, right?" Adrian asked.

"It makes me feel better anyway." Dan hit the horn again, smiling when a nearby cabby leaned out the window to yell curses at him. He loved New York.

"And you wonder why I don't let you drive on a regular basis."

"You don't let me drive because you like the impression you make when you show up in a limo." And possibly because he never got them anywhere on time.

"I like showing up to an event on time and in one piece."

"In this case it's a private jet. It's not going to take off until you arrive." He stuck his head out of the window. "Come on already! Move it."

Adrian shook with laughter. "It never ceases to amaze me how violent you get when you are behind the wheel. Particularly because you are usually so insistent on acting nice."

"There's nothing nice about New York city traffic. Everybody is in the same rush. It's like standing in line for a cup of coffee."

"True, you do get extremely territorial when coffee is involved."

Waggling his finger at Adrian, he said, "Besides, I'm not as nice as you like to think I am."

"You are just as nice as I think you are. Or did you think I didn't know that you've been donating all of the money from your job to bird sanctuaries?"

Dan blushed despite himself. "It's not like I need it. You pay for everything."

"Which means that I have enough money to fund every bird sanctuary in the United States, but I don't."

"That's because you prefer cats. I know you've been funding the efforts to recreate every extinct subspecies of feline. Not to mention paying for the efforts to bread more Bubastis lynxes."

"Cats are logical creatures. They deserve a second chance at life." Adrian looked out the window so Dan couldn't catch his eye. Most likely embarrassed about being found out.

Dan smirked. Adrian never liked it when people brought up his charitable efforts. "You are a good guy, Adrian. Even if you don't believe me."

"You are deluding yourself, Dan. I have not been a good man in years. I gave that up for the sake of the world."

"If you are not a good guy, then why are you trying so hard to make these peace talks work? It's already been a week without any progress, but you are still going to Russia for the next week of talks."

"It is the least I could do to make up for my previous failure."

Dan reached over and grabbed Adrian's hand. "That wasn't your fault. You are not going to help anybody if you keep blaming yourself. It is not your fault that humanity didn't live up to your expectations."

"Then whose fault is it?"

"Nobody's. Sometimes these things just happen."

"You are being too nice again, Dan. I might not be the only one at fault, but I share the blame."

"So do I, but you aren't blaming me. You need to stop feeling so guilty." He used his grip on Adrian's arm to pull him closer. He leaned over to kiss him, only to end up jerking back when the annoying cabby from before hit his horn.

"Damn it!" Dan glared out the window.

The cabby gave him a cheeky grin.

He stuck his tongue out in response. Adrian started laughing again. Dan bit his cheek to keep from smirking. It was good to see that he still had the ability to lighten Adrian's mood.

* * * * * * * * *

Dan leaned against the doorframe, doing his best to look casual while still blocking the door to the penthouse. "What are you doing here, Laurie? I thought I'd made it clear that I wasn't interested in helping you with your plan."

"You did, but I'd hoped you'd seen reason."

"And what possible reason would I have to change my mind?"

"We're a week and a half into the peace talks, and the world governments are still at each other's throats. Don't tell me that you actually believe that Adrian still has a chance to turn things around."

"I still think he has a better chance of turning things around than anybody else." If Adrian's commentary on the talks was to be believed, then everybody else was pretty much hopeless. Not the best sign for world peace.

"How much of a chance is that? I'd say we have a better chance of seeing pigs fly."

"And how is ratting Adrian out going to make our chances any better?" He pushed off the door frame and leaned over so their noses were less than an inch apart.

Instead of looking intimidated, she looked amused. She took advantage of the fact that he wasn't blocking the door to skirt past him, running her fingers over his body as she went. "Knowing what really happened will give everyone something to concentrate on besides starting a war."

He slammed the door and followed her to where she was lounging on the couch. How dare she invade his home without an invitation! "What's Einstein's definition of insanity again? Oh, that's right, trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results."

"Your point being?"

"My point being that Adrian already tried that. He gave them a common enemy to fight. One much more threatening than him. A whole imaginary alien horde to be on guard against, and five years later we're right back where we started."

"Then you admit that we're heading to nuclear apocalypse?"

"I never said we weren't. I just said that if anyone could stop it, Adrian could." This conversation was obviously going to take longer than he'd expected. He sat down on the coffee table across from the couch. His knees almost brushed against Laurie's.

"And now he's failed. Are you finally ready to admit that we need to step up and do something?"

"That depends on what you are referring to. If you have a plan that doesn't involve betraying Adrian, then I'm willing to listen. Otherwise—"

"Otherwise what?"

"You can get out."

"Make me."

Dan stood up and yanked her up off the couch. "I'd rather not, but I'm not going to let you come into Adrian's house and plot his destruction."

She pinched his wrist, forcing his hand open. "Like you could make me do anything. You are still made impotent by your belief in humanity's innate goodness and your foolish loyalty."

"I wouldn't complain about my loyalty if I was you, Laurie. It's the only thing that's keeping me from telling Adrian what you've been up to."

"So what? Am I supposed to be grateful? Do you expect me to thank you for being selfish enough to want me alive so that you don't have to keep Adrian's secrets by yourself?"

He grabbed her by the shoulders, barely resisting the urge to shake her. "I expect you to take the second chance I'm offering you and move on. I know that you never forgave Adrian for sending Jon away, but you need to get over it. While you still can."

"That's not what this is about."

"Then what is it about?"

"I already told you. He has to pay for what he did, for all the people he killed."

"And I told you that if you punished him, then you had to punish us too. I'm not buying your claims of finding redemption. If that was all this was about, you'd have told people the truth a long time ago."

Laurie clenched her jaw and glared harder. "I was willing to wait until his plan failed."

"It hasn't failed yet. At least not completely. So why aren't you willing to wait until there's no chance of Adrian making a difference?" He hoped she would. He didn't want to have to do something drastic.

"It might be too late then."

"Too late for what? For you to get your revenge?"  
"My redemption."

"Whatever you want to call it, I'm not going to support your plan. If you are looking for approval, you'll have to find it from someone else."

"Fine then. You've had more than enough chances to see the light. If you end up getting hurt, it is not going to be my fault." She edged around Dan and headed for the door.

Just before she got there Dan said, "It is not me I'm worried about. If you are wrong, it won't just be me that suffers. It will be the world. Please, Laurie, just give Adrian a little more time, have some faith. For old times' sake."

"I had faith. Faith enough for five years. Now it is time for action. Either Adrian tells everyone what really happened five years ago or I will. That's the only reprieve I'm willing to give you, for old times' sake."

"Thank you," Dan whispered, though he doubted she heard him. She was already out the door.


	4. Five Minutes to Midnight

Dan met Adrian at the door, hugging him tightly. He'd only been gone a week, but he looked like he'd aged a year. His usually smooth and ageless face was lined with exhaustion. There was no way that Dan was going to address Laurie's threat while Adrian looked so exhausted. "Adrian, are you all right? Do you want me to get you something to drink or maybe eat?"

"I'm fine, Dan." His briefcase dropped to the ground, and he stared at it for a second as though wondering why it had done that. "I just feel a bit unsettled."

That was an understatement if his exhausted behavior was anything to go by. "You probably just need sleep. Jet lag always plays havoc on your body. Why don't I help you to bed?"

Adrian nodded slowly, and Dan acted as if it was enthusiastic agreement, taking Adrian's hand and guiding him to the bedroom. He helped Adrian strip off his suit coat and shoes before easing him down onto their bed.

Adrian just sat there.

Until Dan sat beside him and pulled him into a hug.

It took a few minutes, but Adrian eventually relaxed and hugged him back. "It will be okay, Adrian. Whatever happened, we'll figure out a way to fix it."

* * * * * * * * *

Dan hummed to himself as he danced around the kitchen. Rock music played softly in the background. There were eggs in one skillet, pancakes in a second, and the griddle was full of sausages and bacon. He wanted to get everything ready before Adrian woke up.

"Dan? Can you come in here? We need to discuss what's going to happen over the next few days," Adrian called from the bedroom.

He took a few seconds to make sure that nothing would burn if he left for a minute or two, before running to the bedroom door and sticking his head inside. "We will. Once I've finished making breakfast. It will be a few more minutes, so you'll just have to be a little patient, all right?"

"All right."

A few minutes later Dan swept into the bedroom, carrying a tray overflowing with pancakes, biscuits, eggs, bacon, and sausage. The pile of plates was so big that it wobbled with every step Dan took. "I hope you are hungry. I made a lot, since you never eat enough when you are on a trip."

"I eat plenty, you're just obsessed with my weight."

"I wouldn't need to obsess so much if I couldn't see your ribs every time you took your shirt off."

"Now that is an exaggeration."  
"Maybe, but you do have pointy elbows." Dan quirked an eyebrow at him. "So what did you want to talk to me about anyway?"

"I've decided to come clean about manufacturing and releasing the alien imposters five years ago."

Dan, who had just stuffed a forkful of pancakes into his mouth, started coughing, hard. Once he finally stopped he sputtered, "Are you crazy? You can't do that!"

"Why not? It isn't like I'd be lying."

"No, you wouldn't, but you would be sacrificing yourself. And for what? Some small possibility that everybody will hate you enough that they'll stop fighting each other in order to get their revenge on you."

"I will admit that there is only a small possibility that this will work. But even that is enough to be worth the risk. You know I would do anything to save humanity from itself."

"Even give yourself up to be torn apart by an angry mob of people?"

"Even that. If I was willing to sacrifice you and half the world five years ago, what do you think I'd be willing to give up now?"

"Too much," Dan said, pulling away from Adrian and moving to get off the bed.

Adrian grabbed his wrist and pulled him back down onto the bed. "Come here. I know you are upset, but avoiding me won't help."

"What do you expect me to do? I love you, and you are just going to throw you life away. I have every reason to be upset." He couldn't believe that Adrian was actually considering this. It was bad enough that Laurie was trying to implicate Adrian in the creation of the alien horde. She didn't need Adrian's help.

"Yes, you do, but being upset won't change anything. You can't convince me to change my mind. Not when it's this important."

"Fine, I won't leave, but you have to promise me one thing." Adrian owed him at least that much.

"What's that?"

"I want you to promise me that you'll give me one last day with you before you turn yourself in." That would at least give him a chance to say goodbye.

It seemed like such a little thing, yet Adrian hesitated. "Time is of essence, Dan."

"I know. But it is not like one day will make much of a difference."

"I suppose not."

"Thank you, Adrian," Dan said, giving him a tremulous smile.

"It is the least I can do for the man I love." The smile Adrian gave him in return had an edge to it that Dan did his best to ignore.

* * * * * * * * *

After breakfast was finished and they'd gotten dressed, the two of them headed out into the city, dressed in plain clothes. Nobody looked twice at them, even when they started holding hands. Today they were just two average Joes instead of a billionaire and his eccentric partner.

They used their anonymity to their advantage as they wandered the city streets. Occasionally Adrian or Dan would pause at a shopping center where they'd stopped a heist or an old bank they had saved from a robbery. It felt good to reminisce about the good they'd done, back when they wore capes. Remembering back when they could save the world with the strength of arms or a little extra speed.

Now those times were forgotten. Governments denied the existence of Masks, and superhero comics were frowned upon. Everyone wanted to gloss over Doctor Manhattan's failure to save the world. Nobody wanted to take responsibility for humanity's folly. If they did, they'd have to admit that the only reason they'd survived was the alien threat.

Finally, they passed into the area of New York that had been damaged in the aliens' blast radius. This too was bittersweet, but for a different reason.

This was proof of Adrian's failure and the life he was going to give up. Adrian wasn't surprised when Dan grabbed his hand and dragged him down a side street and towards the newly replanted Central Park.

The meandering paths and overgrown bushes and new five year trees were a nice change of pace from the glass and metal of the city. It also gave respite from the memories that haunted them. There hadn't been much reason to patrol the park, even back when things had been at their worst.

Only two-bit thugs and muggers messed with the park, and the people who were stupid enough to go there after dark. Masks had more important things to worry about than petty thieves. Things like supervillains and world peace.

They stopped to buy a pair of hot dogs from a path-side cart before taking their hot dogs down to the lake where they could watch the ducks. Dan fed most of his hot dog to the ducks. They'd had a big breakfast, and it wasn't like he was going to starve. Thankfully, Adrian didn't comment. He just gave half of his own hot dog to Dan.

After their lunch, such as it was, Adrian led Dan back to their apartment. He'd made reservations, for the last date they would ever have, and showing up in clothes that smelled of ducks, city smoke, and decomposing leaves would be a bad idea.

* * * * * * * * *

It was dark by the time they left the restaurant. The city was being awash with rain. The sidewalk was slick beneath Dan's dress shoes, and he kept his eyes on the ground to avoid puddles. Head down and attention elsewhere, he would have kept walking until he was out from under the restaurant awning's questionable protection if Adrian hadn't jerked him to a stop.

He glanced up and met Adrian's eyes.

Smirking, Adrian said, "Just wait. The driver will pull the limo around. There's no reason for us to get wet."

"We can walk." The limo was parked across the street and down a ways. It wasn't like a little water would hurt them.

"But I don't want to. It's a waste of time that we could put to better use."

"Oh?" He crooked an eyebrow.

"Kissing, for example." Adrian pulled him up onto his toes so that their lips could meet.

There was the hiss, pop of a silenced gun and Adrian slumped against him. The taste of copper filled his mouth. He fell to his knees, dress slacks and leather shoes soaked by the water that flowed across the pavement. There was another growing puddle joining the water, this one made of blood.

He was a too heavy weight when Dan pressed him against his chest. There was blood coating his hands and staining his coat. Hastily, Dan yanked his coat off and jammed it into a ball. He used it to put pressure on the wound. Adrian let out a choked off scream. It made Dan want to scream as well.

Dan looked up at the gathered gaggle of onlookers and gawkers. They stood in a circle around him, just outside of the spreading puddle of bloody water. "Somebody call the police," Dan begged.

Once he had Adrian positioned as well as he could, he looked around trying to spot the assassin. He was so busy looking for someone acting suspiciously hiding in the shadows and trying to blend in that he overlooked her twice.

It had been far too long since he'd seen her with unbleached hair, but it was definitely Laurie standing there dressed in a black and yellow skirt suit. A gun was clutched in her hand. She wasn't even trying to hide it, just standing there giving him that proud look she used to get when they went out in costume. The one that said she was saving the world and was happy to do it.

Guilt twisted his stomach into knots. This was as much his fault as it was hers. He'd known she was up to something, known that she had some sort of plan to undermine Adrian, and he'd hidden it. Even if he hadn't known she was planning something this drastic, he'd decided to be loyal to her, and he was going to have to stand by that decision.

He turned his attention back to Adrian, whose breath was stuttering to a stop. Blood bubbled out of his mouth. He still couldn't hear the sirens coming. At this point, it would take a miracle for Adrian to survive.

He held Adrian tighter, trying to force him to keep breathing by force of will alone. There wasn't much else he could do.


	5. One Minute to Midnight

Dan sat on the couch in his bloodstained clothes, and watched the TV with hollow eyes. He'd been doing this since he'd gotten home five hours ago. It was almost midnight, and the special reports hadn't stopped yet. Every station was playing the same story. The assassination of Adrian Veidt by an unknown Russian operative.

Somebody had managed to find a security tape of the event. It didn't show Laurie; she must have known where the security camera was. It did show him and Adrian. It showed Adrian going down, and then his own pale face as he did everything he could to save Adrian. He watched it over and over again. It was the only footage available of Adrian's death and every news station was using it.

Exhaustion dragged his eyes closed and he slumped further into the couch, the smell of coppery blood and oil heavy in his nose. There wasn't any reason to stay awake anyway. Not with Adrian dead.

He woke up some undeterminable time later to the sound of the National Anthem. A picture of the White House filled the TV screen, then, after a few seconds, the president came into focus.

He was grim-faced and dressed in a dark suit. Despite the flag that had been pinned up behind him, Dan could still see gun metal gray walls held together by badly hidden rivets. The president and his family must have been hidden away in a bunker. A bad sign, since it implied that the army believed that there was an imminent threat of nuclear holocaust.

His hands clenched tight around the wooden podium in front of him, the president began to speak. "The Nuclear Doomsday Clock has been moved to one minute to midnight as accusations of government sanctioned killings and conspiracy theories are thrown back and forth.

"This seems to be the end of days, and now I don't see how we have any chance of surviving. There will be no last minute act of God this time. I urge everyone to go home and be with their family in this trying time. I will be following my own advice and spending this time with my wife and children.

"This will be my final address to the people until this crisis is over. So perhaps for the final time, I bid you goodbye."

The strains of the "Star Spangled Banner" started up again and a picture of the White House filled the screen.

A serious looking newscaster came on then. His mouth was twisted into a frown, and his jaw was tight with either anger or fear, but when he spoke, his voice was steady. Dan appreciated that.

"As the president announced, the Doomsday Clock has been set to a minute to midnight. Despite this we are committed to making sure you and your families have access to the news for as long as possible. Please stay tuned to see the latest special news reports as they come in. For now though, Pastor Jack Simmons has some words he'd like to say about redemption and life after death."

The first bars of "Amazing Grace" had just started when Dan threw the remote at the screen, cracking it in a shower of sparks. Dan left the smoking set there, not even bothering to unplug it. He didn't really care if it started a fire.

He went into the bedroom, opening the secret compartment that held his and Adrian's costumes. He put the Nite Owl costume on, relaxing into the familiar feeling of being incased in leather and latex, and strode out of the penthouse full of purpose. It barely registered that this would be the last time he saw his home of three years.

Archie was waiting for him, hidden away in a secret bunker beneath the Veidt tower.

* * * * * * * * *

The city was in chaos. Fire spilled out of shops and apartment buildings. The flickering light and floating sparks gave the smoggy sky a hellish cast. Mobs roamed the streets armed with guns, improvised Molotov cocktails, and whatever other weaponry they could scrounge up. Looters ran rampant, and everywhere the sound of sirens permeated the air.

In contrast, the area around the city morgue was deserted. At least people hadn't become desperate enough to start desecrating bodies.

The morgue itself was, empty and depressing, a maze of cinderblock walls and antiseptic air. The only signs that the building hadn't been long since abandoned were the sheet-covered bodies on the slabs, and the half-eaten sub sandwich that sat on top of a pile of paperwork.

Dan went right to the bodies, looking for Adrian. The first body was that of a young woman with a bullet wound to the temple, the second an elderly woman with wrinkled skin and a peaceful smile on her face. He finally found Adrian under the third sheet.

He pulled his glove off and ran his fingers over Adrian's cheek. It was cold and waxen, stiff beneath his fingers. Dan sat down beside him, running his fingers through Adrian's hair, trying to make sense of seeing Adrian dead. He'd expected to lose Adrian, but it was supposed to mean something. This was just senseless.

"I had to do it."

Dan jumped and spun to face the door.

Laurie was standing there, her chin held high.

"No, you didn't. Killing him was never part of the plan. You said you were just going to tell everyone what happened five years ago."

"Nobody would have believed me if I had explained. Veidt was too popular."

"They wouldn't have had to believe you. He was going to come clean himself. Give himself up to bring peace to the world, and you took that from him. There was no meaning in what you did. You didn't even announce why you killed him." Dan turned away from her and began running his fingers through Adrian's hair again.

"Did you really think he was going to do that? Were you really that stupid?" She sounded more panicked than angry. Dan wasn't the only one who believed Adrian would have sacrificed himself to save world.

"No, I wasn't stupid. I just knew Adrian."

"If you really think that, then there is no saving you."

Dan nodded. "You are right, there is no saving me, no saving any of us."

"What!" Laurie's voice held a mixture of outrage and panic.

"Haven't you heard? It is the end of the world, one minute to midnight." Dan stood up and wrapped Adrian back up in the sheet. Picking his body up, he clutched him close to his chest.

He walked past Laurie, forcing her to press herself up against the wall to avoid touching Adrian's body. "I understand why you did it, Laurie, but that doesn't mean that I forgive you. If I had a second chance, I'd tell Adrian about your visit in a heartbeat. I'd let him kill you if it meant he'd be alive."

"You don't –"

"I do mean it." He'd do anything to have Adrian back. Everything was easier for Dan to handle with Adrian at his side. "I was loyal to you because you were a fellow Mask. I thought you were capable of putting the world's needs before your own need for revenge. I was wrong."

Laurie didn't reply, and Dan didn't wait for her to get her voice back. He just kept walking, heading out to the parking lot where Archie waited.


	6. Midnight

Dan kept the radio on as he piloted Archie south across the Atlantic. It kept him from thinking too much about Adrian's body in the cargo hold. Listening to "Sweet Bye and Bye" and "Rock of Ages" was meditative in some ways, like Christmas Mass when he was a child, but it was the news reports that he was really listening for.

He wanted to know when the world ended even if it wouldn't matter to either him or Adrian.

The Arctic compound was just like they'd left it, the ceiling left open like a gaping wound surrounded by jagged teeth of glass and steel. Dan parked Archie inside, nestled safely like an egg in a nest.

He turned Archie off, and gave the dashboard an affectionate pat. Archie deserved better than the burial he was getting, abandoned in the Arctic, but it was the best Dan could do for his faithful companion.

He went into Archie's cargo hold and knelt next to Adrian's sheet clad body. "We're back where we started, Adrian. Fitting, don't you think? I thought so anyway. That's why I brought us here to watch the world end. Won't that be fun?"

He wasn't expecting an answer. Really, he wasn't.

At least that's what he told himself despite the fact that he kept waiting a beat between sentences, like someone was going to answer him.

"Anyway, we'd better get going. It'd be a shame to miss the fireworks." He scooped Adrian up in his arms, carefully, making sure the sheet remained in place.

When he stepped out of Archie, he sunk into snow that reached all the way up to his knees. He fought through it, the weight of the snow on his cape dragging him down.

The area around Adrian's control chair was mostly clear, having been sheltered by what remained of the ceiling. He slung Adrian's body over his shoulder so that he could brush the accumulated snow off the seat.

Once it was clear, he set the body down. Sliding the sheet down, he uncovered Adrian's face and upper body. He looked like a sultan of old, lying in repose with the sheet wrapped around his lower body. Dan couldn't resist kissing his unresponsive lips.

The remote for Adrian's wall of televisions was nowhere to be found. No doubt lost under some snowdrift in the struggle five years before. He turned them on by hand instead. The fact that most of them were still functional was a testament to Adrian's technological abilities.

Most of the televisions showed static or images of church services from around the world, but the few that didn't showed destruction. Fire and chaos reigned from Russia to the United States.

It was only a matter of time until the end came.

He sat down next to Adrian's chair, leaning against the side with his head resting on the arm. He was feeling sleepy. A side effect of the extreme cold, though not one he minded.

The hymns from dozens of church services acted as a lullaby. His eyelids just kept getting heavier. Then the music cut off with a sound like a sonic boom. He forced his eyes open. Fire and explosions filled every screen before the transmission cut off and there was just static.

He fell asleep with a smile on his face and his hand wrapped around Adrian's. It seemed a fitting way to go out, lying next to Adrian and falling asleep to the sound of the world ending.


End file.
